With the rise of multi-talented musicians such as Taylor Swift, James Taylor and Lady Gaga, a lot of aspiring artists now want to master multiple instruments. One of those in the checklists of these aspiring artists is learning the guitar. But with in-person guitar lessons rising all over the country, kids and adults alike are turning to online providers and services to learn how to play the instrument.

Two of the leading services on the online guitar lesson market are Jamplay and Rocksmith. JamPlay is an application that is available for computer and smartphones. Players are taught guitar lessons step-by-step by many instructors. Rocksmith, on the other hand, is a multi-platform software developed by gaming giant Ubisoft which makes use of game environment to teach players the guitar. Let us take a look at the two providers and see which one deserves your investment.

Accessibility

Jamplay can be accessed on any virtual browser as long as the Internet connection and your phone or computer’s specs permit its usage. With Rocksmith, on the other hand, you need to use one of the following: Xbox 360, Mac, Xbox One, Wii, PS3 and PS4.

Practice titles

Not everyone who wants to learn to play a guitar wants to be a rock artist. This is one of the things that sets Rocksmith back as the 50 songs available in its playlist are all rock songs. Jamplay, meanwhile, has 300 titles from different music genres. The variety of choices in Jamplay means a beginner will be able to pick the level of difficulty of the songs he will be practicing. Plus, Jamplay’s lessons are structured in a way that starts with the basics and progressively gets more advanced.

Rocksmith can be bought for $59.99 and you would already have the entire software along with some free songs. But there is a catch: if you want additional songs, you will have to purchase a package of two to five songs for at least $5. While Jamplay needs to be paid monthly for $19.95, that price is already all-inclusive.

User friendliness

While Rocksmith is fun due to the fact that you are learning guitar while playing a game, it is not the online guitar lesson provider for beginners. The basics as well as the instructions that are in the software are quite lacking. Beginners, for example, are not properly taught on how to hold the guitar the right way and which fingers to put in which string.

Results-based Lessons

One of the best things about JamPlay is that lessons are divided into four phases. The first phase is for beginners. Once you reach the second phase, you can now focus on playing a specific style, genre or even a skill while the fourth phase is where you can start writing your own songs.

So the verdict is clear: JamPlay is a surefire 5/5. Jamplay is the online guitar lesson provider that would appeal for the beginners as well as the advanced players of the instrument. Rocksmith is also a good fit but only for those who already know at least the basics.

Renewable energy is the energy which comes from natural resources such as the sun, wind, rain and geothermal heat. All of these resources are constantly replenished which means they will most likely never run out. Renewable energy is used as an eco-friendly alternative to regular electricity, heating, rural energy and motor fuels. Using renewable energy has plenty of advantages and benefits. Technologies related to renewable energy include wind power, solar power, biomass, hydroelectricity and bio fuels for transportation. Renewable energy abound in large geographical areas, unlike regular energy sources which come in limited supply. In the latest report of REN21 in 2016, renewables have contributed to 19.2% of global energy consumption and 23.7% to energy generation. Here are some of the most interesting Renewable Energy Facts to help you understand it better.

1. Renewable energy was first used in 200 BC when Europeans started to harness water energy to power mills. The use of the water wheel has resulted into many industrial processes such as sawing wood, crushing grain and shaping iron.

2. Albert Einstein received a Nobel Prize in 1921 for his ground breaking contributions regarding solar energy. He was the first person to discover the Law of Photoelectric Effect. If he hadn’t discovered solar energy, we wouldn’t have modern day solar panels today.

3. Costa Rica received 99% of their electricity from renewable energy in 2015. The country is rich in renewable resources and they have a wide variety to choose from depending on their needs. Costa Rica hopes to become completely carbon neutral by 2021.

4. In 1882, the first commercial hydroelectric plant in the world began its operations. Located in Wisconsin, the Vulcan street plant has generated 12.5 kilowatts which is enough power for a home and some paper mills. In 1999, the first hydroelectric station was operated in Balgonie, Saskatchewan, Canada.

5. Denmark has managed to produce 42% of the country’s electricity using only wind turbines in 2015. It is the highest figure of renewable energy usage recorded worldwide.

6. In 2014, every 2 minutes in 30 seconds in the United States, there was a brand new solar energy system installed. Because of this, the United States became the fifth country on the solar panel PV capacity global rankings.

7. The world’s biggest capacity wind turbine is called the Vestas V164. It has a capacity of 8MW which is large enough to supply power to an average of 7,500 homes. Each of the Vestas V164’s blades span 80 meters long.

8. Amidst popular belief that solar panels will not be able to function when the sky is cloudy or when it’s raining, it actually can.

9. By 2020, the United Kingdom aims to make 15% of its energy consumption come from solely renewable sources. In a report made in 2014, the United Kingdom is on track with their targets.

10. In the short span of 14.5 seconds, the sun is able to provide the Earth with as much energy as the entire human race uses in a single day. This is an exciting fact which makes people wonder how amazing it would be if we could harness the sun’s full potential and use it to create renewable energy.